News

The NYC Test & Trace Corps today announced the expansion of a partnership with ParCare Community Health Network, a multi-specialty health care provider serving communities with large Orthodox Jewish demographics, to increase COVID-19 testing and to provide free resources in neighborhoods as part of our hyperlocal response. The partnership will expand the availability of rapid testing and supplies to safely separate at no cost to patients at three locations in Borough Park and Williamsburg.

Gary Schlesinger, CEO of ParCare Community Health Network, has been a health advocate for the community during previous infectious disease outbreaks and is excited that “The partnership will expand the availability of rapid testing and supplies so that people will be able to get fast, accurate testing with minimal disruption – in Borough Park and Williamsburg – so that they can take the necessary precautions outlined by the Department of Health and the CDC.”

“This partnership is an exemplary model of how New York City is fighting back to prevent a second wave of COVID-19, by surging rapid testing and putting its faith in trusted community doctors,” said Test & Trace Corps Executive Director Dr. Ted Long. “I am grateful to the ParCare Community Health Network for stepping up at this critical time, and look forward to working with them to serve the needs of the Orthodox Jewish community as we continue to fight COVID-19 together.”

“Increased testing and appropriate tracing are keys to stemming the tide of Covid-19. This partnership provides each ParCare location with Abbott IDNOW machines to perform rapid, molecular COVID-19 tests with turnaround times under 15 minutes,” says Dr. Jacob Gerlitz, Medical Director of ParCare Community Health Network, who has been spearheading the widespread testing in the community and bringing testing to schools. ParCare also provides patients with tote bags from the Take Care program with face masks, hand sanitizer, and a pulse oximeter for cases who test positive to monitor their oxygen levels while safely separating at home or in a free hotel.

Since October 5th, ParCare has performed over 1,000 rapid tests at two locations in Borough Park and Williamsburg, and distributed many tote bags of supplies. The support from the Test & Trace Corps has enabled ParCare to serve thousands more patients with non-rapid tests. A third location, in the heart of Borough Park, will start performing the Abbott molecular rapid tests November 1st.

The partnership between the Test & Trace Corps and ParCare expands at the same time as the Test & Trace Corps adds 15 contact tracers who speak Yiddish, Russian and Hebrew, to improve service delivery in the Orthodox Jewish community.

ParCare COVID-19 testing locations and hours:

Borough Park: 6010 Bay Parkway, Brooklyn, NY 11204 Monday – Saturday 11am-10pm; Sunday 10am-10pm
Borough Park: 4714 16th Ave, Brooklyn, NY 11204, Monday-Thursday 12-5pm
Williamsburg : 445 Park Avenue, Sunday-Thursday 9am-7pm

The Test & Trace Corps is the City’s comprehensive effort to test, trace, and provide support for every case of COVID-19. Through a partnership with NYC Health + Hospitals and the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Corps allows the City to immediately isolate and care for those who test positive for the virus and then rapidly track, assess, and quarantine anyone they may have infected.

To help all New Yorkers safely separate at home and monitor their health status, the Take Care pillar of the Test & Trace Corps also offers free hotel rooms with wraparound services for New Yorkers who are unable to safely separate in their own homes. For those safely separating at home, contact tracers perform daily calls and conduct in-person visits as necessary. These calls allow tracers to gauge the progress of cases, ensure proper compliance with separation protocol, and connect people to more supportive services as necessary. Today, 98% of all COVID-19 cases and 96% of contacts reported following isolation and quarantine requirements.